Cold Front
by svvya
Summary: Everything should be perfect now, right? Wrong. There might be more side effects to Tohru's memory, Kyo is having a hard time readjusting, not including the ever present Gap, Yuki is having some problems of his own, and a new God, too? ON HIATUS
1. Prologue

Hello again! First off- This is a SEQUEL! So if you haven't read Flood of Memories, go read that FIRST. Go on. Shoo.

Okay, for everyone who didn't leave, this is just the prologue, that's why it's short.

And I know that Shigure and Ren were doing... Well, I think you probably know, but I don't write smut and lemons and all that- Kissing is as far as I'll describe

As should be obvious, I am just a teenage girl, not Natsuki Takaya, so I do not in any way own Furuba!

_The Dream_

Twelve people all with two things in common- being possessed by a vengeful Zodiac spirit, and having recently lost their God- were all sleeping soundly and having the exact same dream.

In the dream, a man whose face was hidden in shadows was sitting next to them in a dark room. He spoke to each of them separately, but at the same time. He said their name and, _"Don't worry, I'm on my way."_ And they knew he wouldn't lie. He was their God, after all.

* * *

Ren-san

Ren Sohma yawned and sat up, stretching her arms above her head. She thought about the day before and smirked slightly, brushing some log, black hair out of her face. It had been almost too easy to seduce the man who was so foolishly in love with her daughter.

Speaking of that brat, Ren sighed contentedly, the funeral was over with and all business with Akito were done and buried- No pun intended. And now, since Akito was gone, Ren could go where she pleased- There was no fear of her upsetting that girl anymore, so what reason would anyone have to stop her?

Ren stood and shrugged on her robe that was lying on the floor and, just noticing for the first time that he wasn't there, called out sweetly, "Shigure?"

After they were finished the night before, it was getting late and there was really no point in Shigure going home, but he might have left before she woke up. There was no answer, so Ren walked into the small kitchen that adjoined to her bedroom and jumped slightly when she saw the very man she had called out standing in front of the counter with the coffee pot on it with tears rolling down his face.

"Oh, don't tell me you're still crying over that Akito," Ren said rolling her eyes. Well, she wasn't going to wait around and comfort him. "I'm changing and going out, don't bother to wait up. There's a key on hanging up near the door." Ren walked back into her bedroom to change, but Shigure followed, he was still staring at her with a strange expression on his face. He was still crying, but it didn't look like he was entirely sad, mostly just confused. But Ren just smirked and began to change. "Suit yourself, then."

When she had changed into a black dress (she wasn't mourning, mind you, she just liked black) and put on her dark blue kimono, Ren stepped quickly toward the door that led outside from the kitchen. But what she saw when she opened the door made her stop short.

"Wha...?"

Every other cursed member of the Sohma family was standing outside of her door, and they were all crying and looking at her with the same strange expression Shigure had been. Finally the one with silver hair, Yuki she thought, spoke just loud enough to hear," We've been waiting."

And suddenly she was flashed back twenty some years ago. It was the exact same, but with less people. No! This wasn't happening! She would not be the mother of another twisted God! "No!" She yelled at the group of people before her. "I am not going to..." Ren trailed off, the look in everyone's eyes told her if she got an abortion they would probably lynch her or something worse... But she didn't have to keep it...

Forcibly pushing Shigure, who had followed her back to the door, outside, Ren slammed the door shut while yelling at him, "You're keeping it!"

Once the door was shut and locked, Ren sat down on the floor, gritting her teeth and shaking her head angrily, only thinking one thing, _Not again._


	2. Chapter 1

Hey guys! I meant to have this out a few days ago, but some things interfered such as writer's block, homework, and lack of sleep. Sorry for the delay!

Yuki-kun

Yuki sat in the living room of Shigure's house, about an hour after everyone had gone to see Ren. Needless to say, the knowledge that a new God was on its way had put him an a great mood. Once the spirit of the Rat inside of him had calmed down, he had been able to stop crying and reflect on this. It was good. Even if Ren didn't want to keep the baby, Shigure would probably take him or her in (Yuki reminded himself that it was possible that the God could be a girl, since he had found out Akito was actually female) and then it would be living with him, Yuki, too. And, hopefully, this God would be kinder than Akito had been.

"Hello, Yuki-kun! Where did you go so early this morning?" Yuki smiled and looked toward the stairs. Tohru was coming down them with an empty laundry basket in her arms. She had come back to live them the day that Akito died.

_Yuki had been at home when he felt Akito die, but by the time he had actually figured out what had happened, Shigure and Mitchan were already gone, so he had to settle for walking. As one could guess, he got more than one worried stare while he was walking down the street sobbing uncontrollably._

_When he got to the hospital, Kisa, Hiro, Rin, Haru, Momiji, and Hatori were all in the waiting room, all crying just as hard as Yuki was. Hatori was talking to a doctor._

_"We;re sorry, Sohma-san," The man was saying, "we did all we could to save her, but she-"_

_"We know." Hatori was staring down at the ground. "I mean, someone already told us."_

_The doctor offered his condolences and walked off after a moment and Hatori sighed and slumped into a unattractive dark green chair. _

_Yuki took this opportunity to make his presence known- no one had noticed him before. "What happened?" he asked bluntly, not knowing how else to put it._

_Hatori looked up at him and everyone else looked at Hatori like they wanted the same question answered. Hatori took a deep breath and said softly, "Akito fell," was all he said._

_"...Fell? How did he fall?" It was Hiro who spoke._

_A pained look crossed over Hatori's face. "It was mostly my fault, I think. I let Tohru into see Kyo and-"_

_"Tohru?" They all said her name at the exact same time._

_Hatori nodded wearily. "She got her memories back. Flashbacks, I guess. It was bound to happen, her being around you three," he pointed to Momiji, Yuki, and Haru, "all the time."_

_Suddenly the urge to see Tohru overwhelmed the sadness he felt about Akito dying. He _had_ to see her._ _Sure, he had been around her everyday, but it was different now that she would remember everything. "Hatori, where is she? Will you take me there?"_

_"And me!" Momiji was smiling broadly through the tears that were still pouring down his face._

_"Me too?" Kisa was looking uncertainly from Hatori to Hiro._

_"But how could she already have remembered?" Hiro looked slightly annoyed. "We just saw that stupid woman today and she didn't know who we were."_

_"But, Hiro, she knew your name and we didn't see her at New Year's." Kisa had a tiny smile on her face._

_Yuki caught snatches of a conversation going on between Rin and Haru quietly. _

_"Do you want to see her, too, Rin?" Yuki glanced over at them and saw Haru with his arm around Rin's waist. He was speaking into her ear, but Yuki was close enough to hear _

_"No... I don't know." Rin was frowning at the floor._

_"She'd probably appreciate it, you two are friends after all."_

_"Shut up, we're not- God, you're so weird." After that, Rin spoke up, "We'll come, too, only because I hate hospitals and you're driving, Hatori." _

Hatori sighed again and said, "I guess I don't have a choice. I don't think we'll all be able to fit in my car, though." 

_But they did all make room. Hatori drove, Rin sat in haru's lap in the front seat, Yuki and Momiji both each their own seat, and Kisa sat in Hiro's lap, and, miraculously, they weren't stopped by the police._

_"Tohru!" As soon as Momiji caught sight of Tohru he yelled her name and ran toward her. Yuki and Kisa followed, but the other four hung back._

_Tohru had been sitting on the path in front of the cat's house looking alike an awkward third arm next to Kyo, who was being comforted by Kazuma, but when she saw them, she stood up said each of their names in a surprised voice, then smiled and ran toward them. She should have been knocked over when they collided in a hug, but, since two of the people she ran into turned right into animals, she just staggered back slightly._

_"Tohru! Tohru! Tohru!" Momiji sounded happier than Yuki had heard him in a while._

_"Onee-chan!" So did Kisa._

_But there was one question Yuki had to ask, "Honda-san, you're coming home, right?"_

_"I'm sorry!" Tohru was crying, too. "I shouldn't have-"_

_"You think that was _your _fault?" The other four had caught up and Rin had just spoke. She was standing next to Tohru with her arms crossed. "It was no one's fault." She stated in a don't-argue-with-me tone of voice._

_"Isuzu-san...? You came, too?"_

_Rin groaned and said, "Obviously I came. When are you going to call me Rin like everyone else does?" Not everyone else called her Rin, only the few people who were pretty close to her. Tohru moved so she was holding Yuki and Momiji both in one arm and Rin, probably able to sense what was coming said, "_One_ hug._ Only _one. You got it?" She, seemingly, reluctantly, held out her arms, and Tohru threw her one free arm around her happily._

_"A momentous occasion," Haru remarked._

_"Shut up, Haru!" After Rin's annoyed statement, there was more crying from Tohru, but other than that, peaceful silence... Until, "Get off of me already!"_

_"Ah! Yes! Sorry!" Tohru jumped back like she was burned, throwing Kisa off balance and nearly knocking them all over. Tohru giggled slightly and embraced Kisa with her now free arm. "You still want me to come and live with you after everything?" She questioned Yuki. _

_The question surprised him, he hadn't even had to think about it. "Of course," he answered. "You should come now."_

_"Now... But..." He saw her look over her shoulder at Kazuma and Kyo, who hadn't paid any attention to the noisy reunion that had just taken place. "Kyo-kun," she called out to him, "do you mind if I-"_

_"Go," Kyo answered her unfinished question in a gruff voice._

_"I... Kyo-kun-"_

"Tohru! Let's go!" Momiji's cheery voice interrupted her.

_"...Okay." Tohru's uncertain agreement was all that the others needed._

_"Then let's go already!" Hiro said impatiently._

_"I really don't think we're all going to fit in the car..." Hatori mumbled as they walked down the hill back toward the car._

_But, somehow, they did. And when they got back to the house, there was an... Unexpected surprise waiting for them._

_"What in the freak is going on around here?!" Was the greeting the group got when they reached the front door. Hanajima and Uotani were leaning up against the house._

_"Yes," Hanajima agreed, "we'd like some answers, please."_

_"Uh, Um," Tohru stammered, looking from the animals still in her arms to the people standing next to her._

_"Don't try to keep anything from us," Uotani demanded. "We remember going over to your grandpa's house and then tall, dark, and handsome over there," she pointed to Hatori, "made us all pass out and then forget everything."_

_It crossed Yuki's mind that there was still probably a way they could get out of this without Uotani and Hanajima having to have their memories erased, but as soon as Uotani called Hatori 'tall, dark, and handsome,' Momiji laughed._

_"Idiot!" Hiro burst out, "rabbits don't laugh!"_

_Hatori sighed and shook his head. "We'd better go inside."_

"Yuki? Yuki?" Are you alright?" Yuki blinked, coming back into reality, and looked up into Tohru's worried face.

"Oh, yes, yes, I'm fine." He smiled to reassure her just as the doorbell rang. He followed Tohru to the door and shook his head at himself, he needed to learn to be more responsive when he zoned out or something at least.

After everything had been explained to Tohru's friends, Hatori swore them to secrecy. He said that since Akito wasn't there to order their memories to be erased, they could keep them as long as they told _no one_. Of course, they had to tell Tohru's family, too, because after Tohru's memories came back, everyone's memories who she was associated with came back. But so far everything had been going fine.

"Kyo-kun!" Tohru's exclamation of happiness brought Yuki back to the present, once again.

The orange haired boy was standing in the doorway with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. "Yeah," he said, looking at Tohru and then continued while glaring at Yuki, "I hope you haven't done anything to my room."

_Great._ The Cat was moving back in.


	3. Chapter 2

Once _again_ I have to apologize! This took me forever to write. I had some writers block, but now I've got the next few chapters more or less planned out, so I should finish them more quickly! Thank you for your patience.

Kyo-kun

"Are you gonna let me in or what?" Kyo looked sharply from Yuki to Tohru, who were both standing in his way.

"Yes!" Tohru said happily, stepping aside quickly. "You're room has more books in it, but it's still there."

No, Kyo had expected it to have been demolished. He walked into the house, feeling like it was the first time again. Everything felt unfamiliar, crowded, and awkward. He wasn't used to living with so many people at one time now, but he had talked it over with Shishou, and they both decided going back to Shigure's would probably be the best thing for him.

"Are you hungry, Kyo-kun?" Tohru questioned, following Kyo as he made his way to his room. "I could make you something." Her voice sounded rushed, like she felt as awkward as he did right then.

Kyo shook his head and stopped outside the door of his room, feeling almost reluctant to go inside. He looked back at the smiling face of the person who saved him, but the person he felt most distant from right now. Then, knowing he had to do something to bridge this Gap that was widening every second, he said, "Eh, I might be a little hungry."

"Okay! What do you want?"

Kyo opened his mouth and then slowly closed it again. He still wasn't used to people asking his opinion on what he wanted to eat, or anything for that matter. When he was locked up he had to eat what was given to him, his opinion was never asked, what would Akito want with something as useless as how Kyo felt about anything?

But, Kyo brought his thoughts back to what he wanted to eat. He wasn't really hungry, he had just said he was to give Tohru something to do and to be agreeable. It was still early in the morning so it was breakfast time... "Pancakes?" He offered uncertainly.

"Okay!" Tohru nodded and then said, "Do you want me to come and get you when they're ready?"

Kyo glanced at the door of his bedroom, not really wanting to go inside. The thought of going into such a small room and the door closing behind him was enough to make his pulse quicken. "Dammit," He mumbled aloud, he was going to be claustrophobic now, wasn't he?

"Huh?" Kyo's head jerked back toward Tohru, and, seeing her curious expression, hurriedly tried to think up some kind of excuse.

"Ah... Nothing." Was the most intelligent thing he could come up with. "You don't have to come up and get me, I'll just put my bag inside and come to the kitchen."

Tohru nodded again and then turned back around, but slow enough that it was obvious there was something she wanted to say, but when she stayed silent and walked toward the kitchen, Kyo pushed open the door to his room and what met him was disaster.

Although it was obvious what had happened to the room, Kyo still felt the urge to say, "What the hell happened in here?!" It was like a tornado had gone through the room. And then a herd of cows. And after that a train. Papers and books were strewn everywhere, it was a wonder that anyone could walk without ruining something or tripping over something. It was obvious what had happened to this room: Shigure had. Shigure couldn't keep anything clean, and it was clear that he had decided to reclaim this room as his study.

Shigure, being who he is, was too lazy to move Kyo's bed out of the room and his desk was still there, too, but now it was covered in pens, papers, there was a computer, etc. Kyo muttered under his breath angrily, even though he had no reason to feel mad-- There was no way that Shigure or anyone else could have known he was coming back... But he was still angry.

Kyo stomped into the room and over to his bed, or rather, Shigure's book shelf. He unceremoniously shoved all the books on the floor. He looked at the cleared bed with a mild satisfaction. But, looking around at the rest of the room he frowned again. He was going to have to make Shigure clean this all up.

"So you're really back." It was a statement, not a question, and it was less than friendly.

Kyo sneered at Yuki, turning to where he was standing in the doorway and, not liking the fact that the was blocking the only exit out of the room, snarled, "No. I just like carrying my things around with me wherever I go. You got a problem with that?"

"Once the baby comes, there won't be enough room for all of us, and we're not kicking Honda-san out."

How much room could a baby take up? And Shigure might still convince Ren to move somewhere with him or something like that, and then they'd all be out of luck, wouldn't they? Kyo just shook his head and pushed past Yuki, heading for the kitchen.

As soon as he entered, he walked up to Tohru and asked, "Do you need any help!"

Right after he spoke, Tohru let out a _Eep!_ noise and jumped and turned to face Kyo, nearly hitting him with a spatula. "S-sorry!" She stammered, "you surprised me."

"Oh, sorry," Kyo couldn't muster up the energy to sound too sorry. Even though he didn't want to admit it, he was thinking about what that damn rat had said. He wondered if he would be forced to leave after the new God was born.

"Um, Kyo?" Kyo's eyes flicked over to Tohru's.

"Yeah?"

"Are you going back to school tomorrow?"

Oh yes, school. Kyo was dreading it and looking forward to it at the same time. He would have to do a lot of make up work, since he had missed about half of the school year, but he thought he could do it. He opened his mouth to respond positively to Tohru's question when he smelled something burning and Tohru exclaimed, "Oh no! The pancakes!"

* * *

_Click_

_Twitch_

"Kyo Sohma?"

That's how it had been going all morning. Kyo had gotten to school early with Tohru and Yuki and after settling in the classroom, every time someone would open the door and close it behind themselves, Kyo would twitch. He didn't like having the only exit from the room being blocked. It made him nervous. Now, what could have caused that?

And, after the person had shut the door behind them they wouldn't fail to notice a certain orange haired boy who had taken up his old spot like he had never been gone.

"Seriously, Kyon, where have you been?" Kyo glared up at Arisa and Saki who were standing in front of his desk.

"What did Tohru tell you?" Tohru had warned him before they got to school that her friends' memories had come back and that she told them he was in the hospital, since she wasn't sure Kyo would want them knowing where he really was. And he didn't.

"She told us you were in the hospital," Saki replied serenely, "but we know her well enough that we can detect when she's lying."

"Do I not look like I was sick?" Tohru had been fending off her friends' attacks on Kyo, but she had left to go to the bathroom and now they were free to ask him whatever they wanted.

_Click_

"Why do you keep twitching like that?" Arisa's eyes narrowed, as if she was trying to figure out the difficult puzzle that was Kyo Sohma.

"Will you shut up? And all of you," Kyo addressed the group of people crowding around him, "_go away_!" It was getting harder and harder to stop himself from acting on instinct- His mind was just saying, _"Run."_

"Sohma?" That was it. Kyo stood up and pushed through the small crowd that refused to leave him alone, and started for the door. He needed some air. "Hey, Sohma, what happened to you? You don't look so good."

Why did everyone need to make such a big deal out of this?! So he was still thin and pale, people needed to leave him alone!

"Hey, I-I didn't mean anything- I was just asking. Cool it." Unable to hold back his anger that had been steadily building all morning, Kyo had twisted the boy who asked him happened's arm behind his back and pushed him up against the wall. A hush fell over the room like some sort of highly contagious disease.

The door creaked open again and then Tohru's alarmed voice said, "Kyo-kun?! What-"

At the sound of Tohru's voice Kyo let go of the boy and he fell to the floor. He started to storm out of the room until Tohru grabbed his arm. "Kyo-kun, what hap-" While Kyo shook himself from her grasp and started to walk out the door, Tohru was cut off by Yuki.

"Don't bother with him, he's just being an idiot." With those kind parting words, Kyo finished making his dramatic exit, already deciding there was no use staying the rest of the day.


	4. Chapter 3

As promised, here is the next chapter. This one took a lot less time to write.

Yuki-kun

Yuki rolled his eyes at the Cat's retreating back. "Idiot," he said under his breath. Was Kyo _trying_ to tell everyone where he had been for the past six months? Freaking out and attacking someone was not the right way to keep his problems under wraps.

Yuki and Kyo had gone back to their hate/hate relationship pretty quickly. Yuki was still mad about nearly being killed and having Kyo back in the house, and Kyo wasn't trying to patch up their ever rocky feelings about each other. If anything, they were less friendly than they had been even before Tohru moved back in.

Speaking of Tohru, she was still standing by the door and looking out it uncertainly. Before he had a chance to even move toward her, the teacher walked into the room. While everyone scrambled to their seats, she asked Tohru, "Honda? Is there a problem?"

Yuki saw Tohru's face redden slightly and she shook her head. "N-no, nothing." She took her seat near her friends and the teacher walked quickly to the front and began the role call.

"Sohma," The teacher called, looking down at a sheet of paper in front of her.

"Here," Yuki said, trying to conceal his boredom. They's been with this teacher for half a year, couldn't she just look around and see if they were there by now?

"Not you, there's supposed to be a Sohma, Kyo here today."

Yuki groaned and rolled his eyes. That stupid, stupid cat. Words couldn't even describe how stupid Kyo was. "He left," Yuki informed the teacher, keeping his cool and the stealing a glance at Tohru whose brow was furrowed and eyes were looking down at her desk.

"He... What?"

Yuki coughed uncomfortably, and looked at the clock, trying to figure how long he had been gone now. "Yeah, about ten minutes ago he left."

The teacher looked bewildered. She was the older type who expected everyone to follow the rules, no question. "I will be right back, class, excuse me. If I'm gone and it gets time to go to your first class, just leave."

As soon as she walked out the door, the class into excited chatter. What was the teacher going to do? What was going to happen to Kyo? Yuki sighed and rested his head on the desk. Although he would never show it at school, he hated mornings and would much rather have been at home, asleep.

Yuki's head reluctantly raised when he felt something hit it. The culprit, a wadded up piece of paper, had been thrown by his friend, Kakeru, who was a few desks over. "Yun-Yun," Kakeru said, moving over to the desk next to Yuki, whose owner had wandered off to somewhere else in the room when the teacher left. There was something in his eyes that Yuki didn't like- The look of someone who knew something someone else didn't. "I guess you're relieved that the teach left without reading the morning announcements."

Speaking of announcements, the classroom quieted when the female voice of one of the school secretaries came over the intercom. "_Kyo Sohma, please come to the office immediately._" Like that was going to work.

Yuki and Kakeru ended up being in the same homeroom, and that was the only class they shared. But they hadn't talked much that year since Yuki had been depressed and distanced himself from everyone, but when he had 'come back to life' he had been accepted right back by Kakeru and mostly the rest of the student council.

Yuki looked at him for a few seconds, uncomprehending. Finally, when Kakeru didn't continue, Yuki prompted, "What would I be relieved about?"

Kakeru went into an over dramatic pantomime of complete shock. His eyes widened and his hand flew over his mouth. "You _forgot_? Even though you were in zombie mode then, I would still think you would _remember_."

Yuki racked his brains and when he still didn't say anything, Kakeru started humming a slow song and mimed dancing by swaying back and forth with his arms out like he was holding a girl.

And then Yuki remembered.

_Yuki was sitting in the Student Council meeting room, staring out the window without a trace of enthusiasm. Since the loss of Tohru, Yuki hadn't had much enthusiasm about much of anything, and his fellow Council members had taken notice. They just didn't know what was making him act like a zombie._

_"Anyway," Kakeru had more or less taken over the duties of the president, even if he still had the title of vice president, "I think we should do something to commemorate the third years graduating, 'cause, you know, we rock." Yuki just nodded in agreement as he usually did. He didn't notice Kakeru send a sly look his way, maybe thinking this next statement would get some response from Yuki. "I was thinking we could have a dance. In honor of the third years."_

_"Yes! Kimi thinks that is a wonderful idea! It could be so fun and romantic." Kimi clapped her hands together excitedly and then began to rattle on about theme ideas._

_"No." Machi sounded annoyed at the mere thought of a dance._

_It was no surprise that Nao responded with a, "That's stupid!" As he did to most of Kakeru's ideas._

_"Fine, whatever," is all of the input Yuki put in._

Only now did Yuki realize how foolish he had been. He should have stamped out the idea, every girl was going to be bothering him more than usual, trying to get his attention, his company for the stupid dance. It was going to be hell. Damn Kakeru.

All thoughts of family problems were pushed out of his mind, the need to protect himself taking over. He wasn't stupid. Yuki knew he was good looking and, even if he hated it, a lot of girls were attracted to him. He was just going to end up hurting them all, because there was no one he could even think of wanting to go with except maybe a certain girl who was on Student Council with him. And no, it wasn't Kimi.

Yuki groaned softly and put his head in his hands just as the teacher walked back in. Yuki silently cursed his bad luck, there were still ten minutes left in homeroom. She didn't mention Kyo, and no one asked, she just went into announcement. And after reminding the class about exams in a few months, she said, "And there's only one other announcement." Yuki looked at the clock, but there was still too much time left for her to stop now. "The Student Council has decided that a dance is going to be held in honor of the third years. Tickets will be five dollars. The date is probably going to be the twentieth of next month, but that is still tentative."

Yuki sighed and picked his bag up, it was time for the first class, and hurried to the door to the sounds of Kakeru's snickers behind him. His brow furrowed as he thought about having to turn down girls, just like he did when some of the former third years professed their 'love' for him, and hoped no girls would get up the courage to talk to him that day.

He sighed and he scanned the hallways that were now filling up and buzzing with talk of the dance- And then he saw her. Machi was walking toward him from a classroom a few doors down, her eyes fixed down on the books she was holding. "Machi!" Yuki called out to her.

Her eyes flicked up and met his for a moment, then flashed and looked back down, narrowing like she was angry. Yuki thought that maybe she didn't recognize him? So he weaved through the other students and reached her, took her elbow, and pulled her into a nearby classroom that was (thankfully, he thought later) empty.

Machi glared up at Yuki, and said in a low growl, "What?"

Yuki blinked, taken aback. He and Machi had always gotten along well, he like her and thought she felt the same way about him, too. "I- I was wondering if you would go to the dance with me."

"You know," Machi told Yuki icily, "it snowed. And snowed. The snow really piled up, and there was a blanket of perfection over everything."

Oh no. He forgot. As soon as Machi mentioned snow, Yuki was flooded with guilt. He had promised her that they would make footprints in the perfection she hated so much next time it snowed. He had _promised_, and then, in those dark days for him, had forgotten. "Machi. I-I'm... I'm sorry." That was the only lame thing he could think of saying.

"And I tried to talk to you." Machi looked like she had been holding this back for a long time. "When I asked you what had happened that made you dead to the world, you wouldn't tell me anything. I told you about my little brother and my fears, and then you just... Just... Threw me aside, and ignored me!" The last part of Machi's little speech had come out as a yell and her cheeks were turning slightly pink from anger

"That's not what I meant to do," Yuki insisted, but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. There was no way he could explain about this, without the risk of her memories being erased. And he wouldn't be surprised if knowing about the curse would just push Machi away more.

"Well then what did-" Suddenly Machi's face smoothed out and when she spoke again, it was in a monotone voice. It was like she was retreating back into her invisible shell. And Yuki hated it. "It doesn't matter. You don't want to tell me. To answer your question, I do not want to go to the dance with you." She didn't wait for a response, she just turned around and walked out of the classroom, leaving Yuki alone.

* * *

-Attempts to weave in subplot- I'm not exactly sure how this is going to flow, two plots together, but they come together in the end, trust me. 


	5. Chapter 4

_Bonus Disclaimer: I do not own Alien Ant Farm, or any of their song lyrics._ I used a few lines from their songs in this, but it just seemed to fit, and I was listening to AAF at the time. Hm... If anyone can recognize them, I might give them a virtual cookie (depending on if I have any around...)

Tohru

Tohru was among the few girls, namely only herself, Hana-chan, and Uo-chan, who didn't start squealing in excitement when the dance was announced.

Uo made a _hm_ing noise under her breath and glanced around the room. "I don't think there's anyone here I'd want to socialize with outside of school."

"Yes," Hana agreed, "and my heart belongs to Kazuma-san. It would just be betrayal to go to a dance with someone else. Perhaps we could all go to the dance together." Hana looked from Tohru to Uo for a response.

Uo nodded slowly. "A pack of stags is what we'd be." She laughed and looked over to Tohru, who had been watching silently.

Tohru forced a smile, not wanting to bother her friends with her troubles. The truth was, there was a person she wanted to go with, but since they were so awkward around each other now, she didn't think either of them would get up the courage to ask the other. She wasn't even sure if the object of her hidden affection even felt the same way about her. "Yes, that sounds nice," she answered quietly.

"Unless of course," Uo grinned and nudged Tohru suggestively, trying to make light of her uncertainly, "someone gets asked."

Tohru didn't answer, but just shrugged and stood up, collecting her books. "I wonder how Yuki-kun is going to deal with this."

Uo let out a laugh. "Yeah, the Prince is going to have girls falling all over him."

Hana smiled and tapped her chin gently in thought. "Perhaps," she started slowly as she got ready to go to class, "we should all take a Sohma. It would be like a theme. I think Kazuma would forgive me, since it's not legal for us to be together yet. Let's see..." She counted off on her fingers as she named them, "The bouncy one, Momiji. The Prince. Kyon. Haru has a girlfriend, doesn't he?"

Tohru nodded, thinking of how angry Rin would be if someone asked out Hatsuharu.

"So that's three," Hana continued as they walked to class. "Now we just have to find them."

"Kuragi-san!" Tohru felt bad that she had only been half listening to Hana's scheming, and the reason she was calling to Yuki's friend, wasn't so Hana or Uo could ask him to the dance, but she wanted to see how he was feeling about this whole thing.

Machi stopped near the door of the classroom she had just left and looked at Tohru. Something flashed in her eyes. Anger? Dislike? Tohru faltered for a moment, confused at what she could have done to upset her, but then pressed one, "Have you seen Yuki-kun?"

Machi looked at the door and said coldly, "He's in there. You can have him."

"I- What?"

"Hey, what's your problem?" Uo said defensively. "Tohru hasn't done anything to you."

Machi just turned around and walked deftly away, leaving three confused people behind her. Tohru pushed the classroom door open and saw Yuki standing in the middle of the classroom, a frown on his face and his mouth slightly open.

"Prince, do you-"

"Now might not be the best time, Arisa."

Tohru took a hesitant step toward Yuki. "Yuki-kun, are you alright? We just saw Kuragi-san and-"

The mention of her name seemed to snap Yuki back to life. He hurried past Tohru and her friends, but stopped at the door. "Which way did Machi go?"

Tohru, confused, pointed out the way Machi had stormed off and Yuki soon followed in her footsteps.

"I doubt any of us are going to get the Prince as a date," Hana said after a few minutes. "I sensed regretful waves coming from him, so he must have done something stupid while trying to ask Kuragi out. Usually it's the girls who are chasing Yuki, not Yuki who is chasing a girl. Oh irony."

"Well there goes the Sohma idea. What about those guys you play cards with sometimes, Hanajima."

Uo and Hana didn't even ask Tohru for her take on all of this. They just assumed that she was going with Kyo. But she didn't want to be a bother, and she did at least hope she could with Kyo, so she just said, "Um, we're going to be late for class."

The rest of the day went by more slowly than Tohru would have liked. Kyo never came back, and Yuki seemed down in the dumps all day, but things were looking up by the time the last bell had rung. After saying goodbye to her friends, she felt a hand slip into her own and heard a happy voice say, "Hiya, Tohru!"

"Hello Momiji-kun!" Tohru smiled genuinely for the first time all day. The blond haired boy was growing up and it was noticeable. He was still young looking, but more mature than he had been. He had started always wearing the boys uniform, he was taller, and his face was thinner, but he still looked a little younger than he actually was.

"Do you mind if I come over to Shigure's with you? I need to talk to Kyo." Momiji had gotten more mature, too. It was strange for Tohru to see him stand still for any amount of time, and even though he was still a happy-go-lucky boy, he wasn't as hyper.

Tohru nodded. "Of course you can. Do you want to stay for dinner? I'm making fish and rice."

"Um..." Momiji shifted from foot to foot for a minute, as if he was uncomfortable. "Maybe." He finally decided on.

Tohru nodded slowly. She was confused by how Momiji was acting, but decided she must have just been imagining that anything was wrong, today had been a hard day and she was just feeling under the weather.

On the way home they chatted about school, and when they finally reached the house, Kyo jumped in front of them. Tohru let out a small, surprised shriek, and Momiji frowned at Kyo. "You shouldn't scare Tohru like that." He laughed when Kyo threw a glare at him.

"Fine, don't listen." Kyo kept his glare up and Tohru felt her slowly rising spirits sink again. Kyo wasn't in a better mood than earlier, so Tohru didn't think she would be able to ask him about the dance.

"We still want to hear what you were going to say, Kyo-kun."

"I was just going to warn you not to go inside yet," he said, somewhat reluctantly, "because Ren is here and she's duking it out with Shigure."

"_It's my words that fail to show insight?!_" It was clear after a few seconds what Kyo was talking about. The booming voice of Shigure could be heard from inside, and he sounded pissed. "I've shown plenty of insight! If you don't want to get married or move in, then _put in some damn ideas of your own_!"

"I can't even talk to you!" A second later, the slid open with a crash and an angry Ren stomped out. "And stop talking like a damn poet!"

"Novelist!" Shigure called after her. He poked his head out the door, mumbled something about people always trying to hurt his house, and then caught sight of Kyo, Tohru, and Momiji. "Oh, come in, come in, sorry about that."

Shigure beckoned them inside and they followed. Tohru announced she was going to start dinner and Momiji forcefully pulled Kyo off somewhere else. Tohru hummed a cheery tune under her breath, but even to herself it sounded forced. So she just sighed and opened the cupboard door, immediately facing a dilemma. There were noodles and rice there. She had thought they only had rice, but no, she was in no mood to make a decision so she decided to go and politely ask Kyo and Momiji.

She wandered around the house for a few minutes and then was led to Kyo's room by the faint sound of voices. The only thing that stopped her knocking on the door was the sound of her name.

"-Tohru?" That sounded like Momiji.

"You finally get to the point. What do I care?" This annoyed voice was definitely Kyo's.

"You two seem like... Well, I thought you might ask her."

"We don't seem like anything, because we're not. Not anything I mean. And I'm not going to a stupid dance. Not with Tohru, not with anyone. So ask her, I don't give a damn." Tohru's eyes widened slightly.

"You're sure?"

"Yes! Now get out of my room."

Then next thing was a very Momiji-like, "Yay!" and footsteps, but Tohru didn't hang around to let the two find out she had been eavesdropping. She hurried as fast as she could back to the kitchen, all the while thinking about what Kyo had said. She sniffed back tears and came to a realization.

_Everything we had is gone, _She thought sadly, because there was something there before, _but... But something new must come out strong._ There had to be something that they could salvage.

"Toooohruuu!" Momiji's voice traveled into the kitchen and he soon followed.

"Yes?" Tohru pasted on a smile she hoped was convincing and looked at Momiji with curiosity, even though she already knew what he was going to ask.

* * *

Hm... This chapter wasn't very satisfying, but it was necessary. If you don't think Momiji would ask Tohru to the dance, oh well (no offense xD). I've just always thought it seemed like he like-liked her... But, anyway, see you soon! 


	6. Chapter 5

Sorry about the not so quick update. It wasn't too bad, but I should have gotten it out sooner... Ah well, enjoy anyway.

This might seem like it's going in a fluffy, pointless direction, but trust me, it isn't really!

Kyo

Kyo let Momiji leave the room and then followed him to the kitchen. He knew he shouldn't have told the Rabbit that he didn't care if he asked Tohru to the dance, because he did, but he didn't think that he would be able to ask her, and she probably wouldn't want to go with him anyway. He ran a hand through his orange hair and sighed softly, leaning against the wall a safe distance from the kitchen door, but close enough that he could still hear.

"Yes, Momiji-kun?" Tohru sounded so oblivious, it was painful to listen to. Kyo had been suspicious that Momiji had a thing for Tohru. The way he was always, always holding her hand, and smiling more than normal (even for him) around her, things like that had been hints.

"Um," Kyo could imagine that damn rabbit rocking on the balls of his feet out of nerves, "I was wondering if you wanted to..." He trailed off and Kyo half heartedly hoped he had changed his mind. God, Kyo was such a hypocrite. He wasn't going to ask Tohru, so he shouldn't be so angry with Momiji for wanting to ask her. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the dance with me."

There was silence and Kyo leaned forward off of the wall so that he could see into the kitchen a little. Tohru looked a little surprised, and there was another emotion on her face, but Kyo doubted she was feeling unpleasant. What would she have looked like if Kyo asked her? What would she have said?

Then her face broke into a small smile. "That sounds like it would be fun." She sounded a little shaky, but Kyo dismissed that as shock.

Momiji let out another, "Yay!" and Tohru giggled a little.

There was a silence that Kyo assumed was a customary post-ask-out-on-a-date-awkward silence, unless they were doing something like kissing. Kyo's eyes widened in disgust at the thought of the rabbit doing something so... As everyone seemed to like putting it: lascivious.

So he decided it was time for him to make an entrance. And his fears were... Not confirmed of course. The two were just standing across from each other, Tohru holding a box of noodles in one hand and a box of rice in the other.

"Well, I'm gonna go home! Bye, Tohru," Momiji said cheerfully. He smiled at Tohru and winked at Kyo, and then walked (or bouced might have been a better word) out the door, leaving only a vauge aura of annoyance behind him.

Kyo grumbled something under his breath that suspiciously sounded like, "Damn Rabbit," and walked over to the fridge.

"Um... Kyo..." He heard Tohru say uncertainly behind him. He made a grunt of aknowladgement, opened the fride and took out the milk. "There's a, um," She stopped and Kyo turned to face her.

"What?" The question came out more hashly than Kyo had intended it to.

Tohru's face fell into a frown and she said after a pause, "I was just... Going to ask if you would rather have noodles or rice for supper."

Kyo shrugged and took a drink out of the carton, as always. "Either," He said shortly after he had wiped his mouth. Before Tohru could ask or tell him anything else, Kyo put back the milk and went to his place of refuge.

On the roof, Kyo sat and stared blankly out at the forest surrounding the house. Why was he being such an ass? Tohru seemed ready to accept him back, as a friend at least, but he just felt something stop him every time he was going to say something nice to her. Everything about her seemed so unfamiliar now, even though nothing had really changed.

So he sat and mulled over his situation. It was impossible for them to rebuild their relationship (or friendship, rather) with how uncomfortable Kyo was with, well, everything. Since he had been alone except for two people for so long, he felt like he couldn't connect to Tohru, or anyone for that matter. Maybe he just had to give it time...

The next thing Kyo was aware of was someone shaking him on the shoulder. "Kyo-kun?" He opened his eyes, he must have dozed off, and saw Tohru looking at him. He sat up and she continued apologetically, "I didn't want to wake you up, but dinner's ready and it's cold and I thought you might get sick if you were out here too long."

She walked over to the edge of the roof and stood there uncertainly for a minute. She wanted to tell him something, it was obvious, but she just clambored down the ladder and out of sight before he could ask if something was on her mind.

Dinner was awkward and quiet until Shigure seemed to have had enough. "Did anything happen at school today, Tohru-kun? Yuki? I would ask Kyo, but he thinks school is a waste of time apparently..." Kyo shot him a glare, and he gave one to Yuki, too, who had arrived home while Kyo was asleep and nodded in agreement to what Shigure said, but the neither of them noticed.

"There's going to be a dance," Tohru answered quietly.

"Oh? A chance for young romance and drama!" Shigure suddenly took more than just polite interest in the conversation. "Who are you all going with?"

Yuki mumbled something unintellegable, Kyo didn't answer, and Tohru said, "Momiji-kun," in a barely audible voice.

Both Yuki and Shigure said at the same time, "What?"

"Momiji-kun," Tohru said in a slightly louder voice, turning a pink color.

"Do my ears deceive me?! Young Momiji asked you to the dance?! Or did you ask him?"

"He asked me." The color in her face was darkening and Kyo decided now was the time to be particularly interested in the fish on his plate.

Shigure continued badgering Tohru until a loud and unwelcome voice accompanied a door being slammed. "Hello!" Ayame appeared at the doorway and immedeatly sat down next to Yuki. "My dear brother, I am shocked, nay, _distressed_ that you did not immedeatly come to me for attire for the upcoming dance!"

"How did you even find out about that?!" Kyo held back a snicker when Yuki threw down his chopsticks and yelled at his brother.

"I'm the Commander of the School's Defense Force. How could I _not_ know?" Ayame seemed shocked at Yuki's confusion.

Yuki growled a name under his breath that Kyo recognized as his friend from the Student Council. "But, Yuki, I know you are too shy to request this of me, so I will answer the question that has been burning in your heart since you decided on having the dance. Yes. I will make your date's dress. And, of course I will make Tohru's dress, too. Both naturally free of charge"

"Oh," Tohru's blush reappeared, "n-no, you don't have to-"

"I'm not going to the dance." Yuki's voice was quiet, but firm.

"Not _going_? But_ you_ of all people _must_ go! Come, come," Ayame stood and clapped his hands together, "we're going to go to my shop right now to look at dresses. You, Yuki, and Tohru. Kyonkichi, I guess you can come, too, but you have to pay at least half price for anything you buy."

"Yes, everyone, no offense, please leave. Ren is coming over again later." Shigure frowned slightly and made a shooing gesture.

"I don't want to go! I'm not even going to this damn dance." But, against his will, Kyo was forced to go along to Ayame's shop with Ayame, Yuki, and Tohru.


	7. Chapter 6

This took me a _long time._ I apologize and hope you find it worth the wait...

In the next chapter or two I should finish up with all of this dance business and get back to the other stuff. It's coming, don't worry :-)

Yuki-kun

"A-Ayame-san. Please, you don't have to do this. I can pay you back or work for you until I pay for this or..." Yuki sighed softly as Tohru continued to try and talk Ayame out of giving her a free dress.

Ayame waved his hand nonchalantly and Kyo opened his mouth for the first time since the four had piled into Ayame's car. "Don't take your hand off the wheel!" Yuki had to agree with him, Ayame's driving was hazardous at best.

"Calm down, Kyonkichi! And, Tohru-kun," Ayame chuckled and Yuki sighed again, this was going to be a long, long afternoon. And it was only Monday. He hoped that this day wasn't an omen to the rest of the week, "don't worry about the cost. You deserve it!" At least his idiot brother could say something that was true.

Yuki glanced over at Tohru and noticed her face was steadily turning red. They had arrived at Ayame's shop, _Ayame_, and Yuki rolled his eyes at the suspicious saying about trust on the sign, as he always did.

Tohru was silent now, and she looked like she was thinking very hard- Probably about a way to convince Ayame that she should pay him back, but Kyo wasn't going to be quiet. Of course not. "What the hell is this place?!" Right. Kyo had never been to the shop before. Wouldn't he be surprised by the inside, then.

"Why, Kyonkichi, it's where people come to fulfill their romantic fantasies!" Ayame shook his head in disappointment, and Yuki rolled his eyes again.

"Mine!" Ayame called as soon as they stepped inside. "We're back!" His assistant appeared from behind a shelf of fabric in her customary black and white, short maid's outfit.

"Hiya, Boss!" She said, clapping her hands together when she saw Yuki, Tohru, and Kyo. "So this is why you wanted the shop closed this afternoon." Suddenly a look of realization dawned on her face. "Is this about the dance?!" Of course he would have told Mine if he was really serious about giving Yuki and Tohru clothes, but Yuki had a feeling Mine was going to go over bored.

Yuki's suspicions were confirmed. After his brother said cheerfully, "Excellent deducing, Mine!" The woman's eyes glittered devilishly and she grabbed Tohru's hand.

"We'll dress you up in something cute and then show you to the boys." Despite Tohru's protests, Mine just winked at the boys and pulled her farther into the store. "I think you'd look nice in pink..." Was the last thing that could be heard before they disappeared.

"Now, Yuki, call your date forthwith!" Ayame commanded, pulling a cell phone out from his pocket.

"I don't have a date." Yuki didn't bother to beat around the bush. He wouldn't even be going if he wasn't on the Student Council.

"Of course you have a date." Ayame shook his head in what Yuki hoped was mock sadness. "The Honorable Vice President told me you are going with his sister."

"He- What?!" Yuki cursed Kakeru under his breath and shook his head. "I'm not going with her."

But Ayame wasn't listening at all. He was punching numbers in on the phone and saying as he did, "You're delirious. It's lucky that I took the liberty of getting the girl's phone number." He put the phone up to his ear and said after a minute, "Hello. Machi Kuragi? Good! This is Ayame Sohma, Yuki's brother, and-... Oh? I see. Well, you can talk to him then."

"She wants to talk to me?" Yuki felt a small glimmer of hope. Maybe she would reconsider?

"Not exactly..."

"I don't want to talk to you." Machi's emotionless voice cut him off before he could even finish saying hello.

"Look, Machi... I'm really sorry." Yuki paused and took a deep breath, unsure if what he was going to do was the right thing. "If you come over, to my brother's shop that is, I'll explain everything."

"Just tell me now."

"You won't believe me unless I tell you in person." That was true. He would just sound like a crazy person if he tried to explain the curse and everything that had happened because of it over the phone.

The silence that followed was so long that Yuki was afraid she had hung up, but finally her voice reached his ears. "Fine." Yuki relayed the directions to Ayame's shop to Machi and then hung up, suddenly feeling nervous. Now that Akito was gone, nothing was stopping him from telling anyone about the curse, but if he told Machi, she might be disgusted and not want anything to do with him anymore.

Ayame snatched back his cell phone and pranced away, saying something on checking on how Mine's progress with Tohru was coming along. He disappeared and left just Yuki and... Not Kyo. Yuki glanced around, not really caring that Kyo was gone, but wondering where he went. He must have slipped out the door when everyone was distracted.

Yuki shrugged and sat down on a wooden, uncomfortable chair near the entrance, waiting for Machi's arrival, mulling over how he was going to explain everything.

When she did walk inside to the jingling of the bell above the door, she caught sight of Yuki almost immediately. "Talk," she said tonelessly.

Yuki stood up and, with his pulse racing from nerves, walked toward Machi with his arms outstretched. There was really no better way to explain than to _show_ her first.

"What are you doing?" Before he could get close enough to wrap his arms around Machi, she had backed up.

Right. He should have seen that coming. "I was trying to hug you," he answered, hoping that sounded like a something a sane person would do. Obviously not. Machi's shook her head and fixed him with a blank stare. Yuki had to stop himself from wincing, he hated seeing her so emotionless again. "I'm not a pervert or anything, really. It'll help explain things..." And before she could argue any more, Yuki hugged her, immediately changing into a small, gray rat.

"President..." Yuki backed up so he could see Machi's face from his place on the ground. Her previously expressionless face looked confused and worried now. "Why are you a rat?" She knelt down and picked him up, resting him in the palm of her hand and holding him up to her eye level.

"My family is under a curse," Yuki started, and then he explained everything he could think of, including what had happened recently with Tohru and Akito, but excluding any messy details of his childhood, they would save that for later. He was wrapping the explanation up with, "And when we transform back into humans we're completely-" But then she got the rest of that sentence without Yuki having to say anything.

Yuki transformed and put his clothes quickly. _Why do I always leave that bit for last?_ He asked himself as he looked down at Machi who was still kneeling on the floor with her eyes covered. "Um, it's okay to look now. Sorry." He held out a hand to help her up, but she didn't accept it, she just stood up on her own.

"I'm still angry," Machi informed him, and after a pause she continued, "but I'll give you one more chance. One."

"Excellent!" Ayame jumped out from behind a shelf, much like Mine had when Yuki had first come into the store.

"How long have you been back there?!" Yuki demanded. His stupid brother, was he listening the whole time?

Ayame waved his hand, dismissing the matter. "Long enough. Now, Machi-chan, let's go find you a dress!"

"What...?" Yuki sighed again as Ayame tried to drag Machi to the back of the store, but he couldn't help but be happy. Something was finally going right.


End file.
